Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 15,830, Samuel Field, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Field, Samuel
NUMBER
S. 15830
CONTENTS
carded
Twelve horizontal lines for recording contents.
Twelve horizontal lines for recording contents.

Massachusetts 15-279
Samuel Field
of Northfield in the State of Massachusetts who was a priv: in the company commanded by Captain King of the _____ commanded by _____ in the Mass'tts line for 7 months 10 days
Whe
78 Franklin
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass'tts at the rate of 24 Dollars 43 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 th day of June '33 and sent J. J. Gilchrist Charlestown M. H. C.
Arrears to the 4th of March '33 — 48 86 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept " — 12 21 1/2
$61.07 1/2
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Wm. Miller Clerk Book E Vol. 2 Page 24

Samuel Field
22.332
Admit as a private
7 mo 16 days -
24.43
S. J. Kitching
Charleston
E. L. Wood
Glensfield
Map

BRIEF in the case of  Samuel Field  of  Northfield  in the State of  Massachusetts  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? In open court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? Seventy six years  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days. As a Gen.     In 1775 3   Each period of service undefined   Apr 1777 Mid Aug. 4 25   " Aug. Nearly 14   7 10  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None named  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? In Northfield  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? One living witness and traditional evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correctly authenticated 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Ch. Addison Examining Clerk.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. Commonwealth of Massachusetts } / County of Franklin } /
On this twentieth  nineteenth day of August  September A. D. 1832 personally appeared in open court, before Richard E. Probate  Metcalf Ebenezer  under the justice of the Court of Common pleas , now sitting, Daniel Field, a resident of Northfield in the County of Franklin & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged 78 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, & served as herein stated.
I, Daniel Field was born in Northfield aforesaid A. D. 1750, as appears from a record of my age in my father's family Bible, as well as by the records of the Town of North- field & I have always lived in the Town of Northfield, save when absent in the service of the United States or on occasional business, except during about four years, before  the year A. D. 1775 when I resided in Brattleboro, in the County of Windham & State of Vermont.
In the month of November 1775, the informa- tion was received at Northfield where I then lived, that the Connecticut troops, who were then with the army at the siege of Boston, were to be dismissed & go home, & that men were wanted to supply their place for a short time, till enlistments could be made.

I was among those who volunteered to go from Northfield, & I arrived at Roxbury, towards the end of the month of November (but the precise day I can not now remember) & entered the service for 2 months, as a volunteer, though I remained a little more than 3 months. I enlisted in the Company of Capt. King of Northfield. Gilbert being our 1 st & Coney our 2 d Lieut. Col. Reed of Lybridge in the county of Worcester was Commander of our regiment, & I think, but am not certain, that our regiment was attached to Gen. Spence's Brigade. Washington was in command of the army & I remember as General officers Gen. Thomas, Heath, Putnam & Lee, though Putnam left the army while I was there, as I heard, to go to New York & superintend the fortifications at that place; & Gen. Lee also left as I was informed, to go to the south & take the command of some troops there. I also remember Gen. Sullivan & Gen. Ward. I remember the regiments of Col. Ward, Col. Ward  Learned  Ward , Col. Jonathan Brewer & Col. David Brewer. My Company was at first at Roxbury, but was ordered soon after my arrival into barracks in the south part of Brookline. Here I remained till the very last of February (but the precise day I can not recollect) when my time having been out more than a month, I returned home. I came away but a few days before the army went on to Dorchester Heights. Preparations were making for this movement, for some time before I left, though

I was not at the time, aware of their object. I had no written discharge.
In the month of April 1777 I was drafted as a militia man & enrolled at Northfield into a Company commanded by Capt. Harvey & officered by Lts. Powny & Benjamin. Our Capt. was ordered to march his Company to Ticonderoga as soon as possible, & we were accordingly, marched through a part of the County of Berkshire, into, the the what is now the State of Vermont, to Bennington, & thence to Skene'sboro', now Whitehall, from whence we were taken by water to Mount Independence. There were two regiments which came from the old County of Hampshire, in which Northfield was, to Ticonderoga at this time. The one to which I was attached was officered by our Company officers, mentioned above & by Col. Wells - Lieut. Col. May - Major Whittmore - Capt. Childs, White, Barnister, Kemp, Clap & Ballard; the other Hampshire regiment was comman- -ded by Col. Leonard; the Lieut. Col. was Hale, but I do not remember the names of the other officers. Brig. Gen. Poor of N.H. was in the Command of the fort when I arrived, but Major Gen. St. Clair came soon after & took the command. There was a Col. Long from N.H. there, & the Militia came in so fast that he was put in the command of a Brigade, which was called Commandant Long's Brigade & to this Brigade I was attached. I remember also Brig. Gen. Patterson & a French Brigadier whose name was, I think Herboi. Gen. Belloes came from Walpole N.H. with a great body of Militia

though I understood he was not so in the army as to be under the orders of the Commander in chief. I was not in any battle or skirmish at this time, though there was much firing on both sides, & particularly from the work of ours called the Jersey redoubt, which was on the Lake, North of the old French fort. I saw one day a smart skirmish between a strong picket guard of our troops & a large body of the enemy outside of the old French lines. I remained quartered at Mt. Independence till about the fifth of July, when I was ordered by the Commissary General, Col. Halj, to assist in removing provisions, from what was called the landing at the crane at Mt. Independence, round to the south end of the Mt. I labored there all night & arrived at the landing with a battear containing 40 barrels of beef soon after daylight. I then found that every thing was in the greatest confusion, & on enquiry, learned that our army was retreating & were already some distance on their march. I ran Eastward as fast as I could & overtook my company after going about 6 miles. I then found my com- pany & we marched to Hubbards- ton , where I saw that some regiments were preparing to halt. Three regiments halted, viz. the regiments of Col. Warner, of Vermont, Col. Hale of N. H. & Col. Vranes of the Province of Maine.
The rest of the army went on to Casti- -ton where we staid that night.
The next morning, just after day break

we heard the sounds of a battle in the direction of ards Hubbardston. While at Castleton the three  two Massachusetts regiments were addressed by Gen. St. Clair. He told us that he knew our time was out & that we were entitled to go home, but he begged us to endure the deplorable condition in which he then was & not to leave him. After the firing had ceased in the rear towards and Hubbardston, we marched from Castleton to Otter Creek & were formed on its banks to await the enemy. We halted here 2 or 3 hours, & then marched to Rutland where we staid over night. During the latter part of this day the remains of the regiments who had fought the battle at ards Hubbardston came straggling in. I was told that Hale was taken prisoner & his regiment nearly all killed or taken prisoners; that Francis was killed & his regiment suffered dreadfully, & that Wheeler's regiment suffered much, but he narrowly escaped for I saw him in the course of the day. Having arrived at Rutland, there was a road directly across the mountains to Connecticut River & a part of my company took that direction & came home. I was one of those who remained with the army. From Rutland we turned towards the South & continued our retreat through what was then a wilderness, the & at night we lay down in the woods without shelter, though it rained all the day, & during the night also. In the morning we marched on & came first to Dorset & then to Manchester. Here the army halted.

I had now been three days without food, excepting a small piece of bread which I had in my pocket at the time I left Ticonderoga, & I was entirely worn down with hunger & fatigue & my feet were so sore & lame that I could hardly bear to put them on the ground. I went to the Captain of my company & told him I was entirely unable to go on. That I had an uncle who lived not far off & who would take care of me if I could reach his house, & begged him to permit me to go. He gave me his permission & I went to my uncles house where I was confined for several days. When I became able to walk a little, I learned that the army had gone westward to the Hudson river & being still weak & lame & unable to do duty & knowing also that my time of service was out before I left Ticonderoga I concluded not to follow the army but to return home. I did so & arrived at home just before the middle of August, but the precise time I can not recollect. After being at home a few days we heard that the battle

of Bennington had been fought & thinking our services would be wanted a company was ordered at Northfield & marched under the command of Capt. Hunt in the direction of Bennington. I was a member of the company. We marched over into the County of Berkshire & were proceeding in the supposed direction of the enemy when we learned that our men were not wanted & we returned home. I can not tell exactly how long we were gone, but I think nearly two weeks. My memory has not enabled me to state with exactness the dates of my entering & leaving the service during this time while about I was in the service at Ticonderoga & other places as mentioned above, but I recollect distinctly that an account was kept, at the time, by the military authorities of the Town of Northfield, of the time which each man served as a drafted militia man, in order that they might know who were liable to be drafted; & that I was allowed for this time of service four months service on their list.
I have no documentary evidence of having served, nor have I ever had any I was never in a battle, nor was I ever wounded. I know of no person who was out with me while with the army at Boston, whose testimony I can procure as to that fact. But Joseph Davis of Gill in this county

Samuel Field
22330
Northfield
was in the same company with me while at Ticonderoga & I can procure his testimony to some of the facts herein contained. Elisha Alexander of Northfield was with the army at the Boston at the same time I was but he was not in the same company & though I saw him once or twice while there he does not recollect that he saw me.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. of any Samuel Field Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
R. E. Mearns - Judge of Probate
Mr. Thomas Mason a clergyman residing in the town of Northfield aforesaid & John Nivers Sheriff of the county of Franklin residing in the same place, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Samuel Field who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 76 years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution; & that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
Thomas Mason
John Nivers
R. E. Mearns - Judge of Probate
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after an investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Thomas Mason who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in said town of Northfield and that John Nivers Esq. who has also signed the same is a resident in said Northfield and is the Sheriff of said county and a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
R. E. Mearns
Judge of Probate

In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Samuel Field a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau. S.F. 15,830
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Nov. 75 3 mos. King Reed Mass.   Apr. 77 4 mos. Moses Harvey Wells   7 mos. Hunt ✓  
Battles engaged in, none.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Northfield, Franklin Co., Mass.
Date of application for pension, Sept. 19, 1832.
Residence at date of application, Northfield, Mass.
Age at date of application, B. — 1756, Northfield, Mass.
Remarks: No family data. no claim for widow

1909 Jan. 12. Hist. to Prof Edwin B. Story
15830 INVALID.
File No. 15830
Samuel Field
Br. New War
Act: Inne 7" 32
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 126
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Franklin ss. I Elijah Alvord, Register of the Court of Probate for the said county do hereby certify that the annexed contains the original proceeding of the said court in the matter of the application of Samuel Field for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court this nineteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two E. Alvord Reg. Prob.

Samuel Field
att

I Joseph Davis of Gill in the county of Franklin since born on the death of Massachusetts, Twenty two years of age, do testify and say, that I am well acquainted with Samuel Field of Northfield in the aforesaid State and county, and that the said Field served with me in the revolutionary war as a soldier and in the same company three months in the spring of one thousand seven hundred and Seventy Seven at Pickett's Creek, so called, in Colonel Miller's reg- iment and left Morris Harvey's company, of Montpelier, and that when I left the service he was still retained in the army doing the active duties of a soldier. Once furthermore I have very reason to believe that he served a much longer time than I have any personal knowledge of, as a soldier in the revolutionary war. Joseph Davis
Franklin St. Gill Sept. 18th 1832 Then Joseph Davis the above named personally appeared and made oath to the above deposition by him subscribed Before me Just Judges, justice of the peace
I hereby certify that Joseph Davis above named is a man of truth and veracity & what he has stated will not be doubted in any court of justice Just Judges justice of the peace Gill Sept. 18. A.D. 1832

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Franklin ss I Elyah Alvord Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the county of Franklin do hereby certify that Joel Lyons Esq before whom the within affidavit purports to have been verified is a Justice of the Peace for the said county; And that his name thereto subscribed appears to me to be his genuine signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at Greenfield on the nineteenth day of September A.D. 1832
E. Alvord Clerk

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Samuel Field which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? no VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? yes
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? yes
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

RECORD DIVISION.
Department of the Interior, BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Briefed by L. D. L.
Claim No. _____
Certificate No. _____
Claimant _____
Soldier Samuel Field
Service Mass.
Additional Service Rev. War
No. _____ claim, State records _____, 190____
No claim, combination records _____, 190____
REMARKS:
No claim, except I. # 15830

SMITH COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC, EDWIN BRUCE STORY, PIANOFORTE.
NORTHAMPTON, MASS. Sept 2, 1918
Dear Sir:
Can you give me any information concerning the pensioning of the widow of Samuel Field
born Northfield Mass 1755 died " " 1837
a soldier of the Revolution first private - then adjutant whose regiment was at Ticonderoga.
Was her application for pension granted and on what basis of services of the said Samuel Field?
An early reply will greatly oblige
Yours cordially
Edwin Bruce Story 47 Dryads' Green Northampton Mass.
names of off - res - at end name of -

F.M. Record Division.
8-1865.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C., September 11, 1908.
Mr. Edwin Bruce Story,
# 47 Dryads' Green,
Northampton, Mass.
Sir:
In reply to your letter dated the 2" and received the 4" instant, you are advised that in order to identify a claim for pension that may have been filed on account of the services of Samuel Field in the Revolutionary War, you should furnish some of the following data: names of officers under whom he served, places of residence at enlistment and after service, and given name of widow.
Very respectfully,
J. Warner
Commissioner.
Thank you for this information. All I can offer in return is the name of the widow - Elizabeth Mattson - Later - Dec. 28, 1908
I find that Samuel Field was in Capt. Woodrich Leonard's Co. Col. Bragg's Woodbridge's regt in 1775 : also in Capt. Moses Harvey's Co., Col. David Wells' regt in 1777- Private in 1775, also, corporal: corporal in 1777. roll dated in Montague Mass - from Northfield Mass, and there.
I enclose original letter - and hope for information wanted.
Yours, respectfully
Edwin Bruce Story